Fried Tomato and Goats’ Curd Salad

Photography by Simeon Crofts

DIETARY – Vegetarian, Nut-free

Since I started this venture, I have had lots of requests for vegetarian meal ideas. But at first I made the assumption that the internet was probably full of vegetarian recipes and, even though I’ve been vegetarian for 20 years myself, I thought I wouldn’t have anything new to offer, so I steered clear of offering vegetarian inspiration. But it turns out I was mistaken. You guys requested these recipes anyway!

So, a few weeks back, I woke up in the middle of the night and, as I struggled to get back to sleep, I suddenly thought of a vegetarian meal idea that was a bit unusual but could be delicious – a deep-fried tomato salad with goats’ curd. The following weekend I tried it out: crispy panko-coated tomato slices served on a bed of mixed salad leaves tossed in a basil dressing with a helping of whipped goats’ curd. Simple, fresh and absolutely delicious! This recipe is super simple to make and can be served as a starter or a main. I personally liked it as a main dish, but I think it would also be a great salad to serve at a barbecue or for a light summer meal with friends.

Goats’ curd has a sharp, creamy taste with a more mild flavour than goats’ cheese. If you don’t like goats’ curd you can try feta or even something more mild and creamy like burrata or buffalo mozzarella. For the tomatoes, I recommend beefsteak or large vine-ripened tomatoes as these stay firmer during frying. You’ll also need to make sure the tomatoes are cut into thick slices, around 1cm. When it comes to deep-frying, you only need to fry the tomatoes for a couple of minutes total, any longer and the tomatoes will start to disintegrate.

If you want to make this dish gluten-free, you can simply swap the panko breadcrumbs for gluten-free breadcrumbs. Alternatively, if you want to make the dish vegan, you can swap the goat’s curd for vegan cheese or eliminate altogether and replace with the likes of olives, hummus or nuts.

Fried Tomato & Goats’ Curd Salad

Makes: 4

Crispy tomatoes, fresh salad, creamy goat’s curd and a sharp basil dressing make this vegetarian salad a star dish

Ingredients:

For the tomatoes:

• 2 eggs, beaten
• 75g panko breadcrumbs
• 1½ tbsp dried mixed herbs
• 2 tsp sea salt flakes
• Good grind of pepper
• 3 large tomatoes, sliced

For the basil dressing:

• 2 cups fresh basil
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp white wine vinegar
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• 1 tsp chopped garlic
• Salt
• Pepper

For the salad:

• 150g mixed lettuce leaves
• 50g rocket
• 100g cherry tomatoes
• 100-150g goats’ curd or cheese of your choice

Method:

1. First, fill one dish with the breadcrumbs and one with the beaten eggs. Season the breadcrumbs with the dried herbs, salt and pepper.
2. Dip each sliced tomato into the beaten eggs, ensuring both sides are well coated, then dip both sides into the breadcrumbs. Repeat until all slices are coated.
3. Fill a deep pan with around 1cm vegetable oil. Heat until a breadcrumb dropped into the oil sizzles and turns instantly golden.
4. Deep fry your tomatoes a few slices at a time for 1-2 minutes on each side until golden brown and crisp.
5. Drain the tomato slices on a plate lined with a kitchen towel.
6. While you wait for the tomatoes to cool a little, prepare the basil dressing. Whizz all the dressing ingredients together in a blender or food processor.
7. Put the salad leaves in a bowl and toss with the basil dressing. Mix in the rocket and serve on to a large dish.
8. Top the salad leaves with the fried tomatoes, cherry tomatoes, and goats’ curd.

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